Apparatus for conveying and stamping eggs

ABSTRACT

A device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs with an indicia to form a basis for judging the freshness of the eggs. The device provides apparatus for intermittently feeding eggs on an individual basis to a spring-pressed stamper unit and spoonshaped members associated with an endless chain conveyer for propelling the stamped eggs to the discharge exit.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,863,564 Higuchi 1451 Feb. 4, 1975 [5 APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND 1,193,297 8/1916 Porcher 101/35 IN EGGS 2,345,870 4/1944 Guenther 101/40 UX [76] Inventor: Koichi Higuchi, 7-9, 1 chome, FOREIGN PATENTS OR CATIONS Hyakkoku-cho, Kochi-shi, Japan 1,292 3/1931 Australia 101/35 Filed Mar 15 1974 356,770 9/1931 Great Britain 1. 101/41 [21] Appl. No.: 451,549 Primary Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Fred Philpitt; W. Robert [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Baylor Sept. 10, 1973 Japan 48-102331 [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. c1 101/35, 101/379, 198/131 A device for automatically and cantinaously Stamping 51] 1111. C1 B4lf 17/30 33 with an indicia to form a basis for judging the 58 Field of Search 101/35, 2, 44, 43, 40, freshness of the eggs- The device Provides apparatus 101/38 A,-38 R, 39, 41, 42, 379; 193/131 for intermittently feeding eggs on an individual basis to a spring-pressed stamper unit and spoon-shaped 5 References Cited members associated with'an endless chain conveyer UNITED STATES PATENTS for propelling the stamped eggs to the discharge exit. 875,092 12/1907 Merrell 101/35 3 C aims, 3 Drawing Figures N i 1111111111111 11111lumw 1 1 1 1's l tits BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs with an indicia to form a basis for judging the freshness of the eggs.

Needless to state, the freshness of eggs is important together with the economies of the egg industry which is highly competitive. Therefore. it is imperative that absolutely fresh and high quality eggs be placed on sale and thus. an arrangement is required to provide a basis for the consumer to judge the freshness of the eggs upon purchase thereof.

Heretofore. and generally speaking in order to determine the freshness of an egg it has been necessary to break the egg. This is obviously an unsatisfactory practice for the average consumer.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that an advancement in the art is required to provide a reasonable and economical basis for the consumer to judge the freshness of the eggs when making a determination to purchase same. Further, such an arrangement to perform thisstamping function must of necessity involve a minimum of manual operations to the fragile eggs and also with a minimum of manpower. All such factors are reflected in the marketing of fresh and high quality and reasonably priced eggs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of the present invention is to pro vide a device for stamping an indicia on eggs which indicia mayconsist of date of shipment. name and ad dress of the shipper and the like to form a basis for judging the freshness of the eggs.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs in a most advantageous and efficient manner.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device whereby egg surface contact in the stamping operation is reduced to a minimum, and wherein the number of operations involving manpower is also reduced to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which includes automatic conveyor means having the utilitarian advantages enumerated above and which functions to align and stamp the eggs.

With the above objects in view, the present invention comprises a device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs and includes an intermittently moving endless chain conveyor means longitudinally extending in the horizontal plane whereby the vicinity of one end of the longitudinally extending conveyor means constitutes an egg stamping area; means for intermittently feeding eggs on an indivudual basis to the egg stamping area; an elongated frame member positioned longitudinally and in a substantial parallel manner adjacent to the conveyor means; a plurality of arm members fixedly supported at spaced intervals on the elongated frame member, each of the arm members arranged substantially at a right angle to said elongated frame member and having base and tip portions, the base portion being slidably associated with the conveyor means and the tip portion having an arcuate configuration to define a spoon-shaped section, the spoon-shaped section operatively propelling an individual egg from the egg stamping area; two rail members disposed substantially parallel to the conveyor means; .a lever member slidably supported between the two rail members and including a down turned tongue portion, the downturned tongue portion terminating in the egg stamping area and having an opening therethrough; and a spring pressed stamper member mounted within the opening and operatively stamping individual eggs intermittently being transferred to the stamping area by the intermittently feeding means.

These and other objects and aspects of the invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following description of an embodiment of the invention shown by way of example only. in the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a fragmentary side view of the automatic stamping device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the automatic stamping device; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the spring pressed stamper unit with its associated structure.

In the drawing the numeral 1 represents one of the plurality of arm members which propels an individual egg a, along an endless chain conveyor 2. The conveyor 2 is intermittently operated and extends longitudinally in the horizontal plane. The arm I is slidably associated at its base portion at a right angle with the conveyor 2 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As will be explained more fully, the top portion of the conveyor 2 moves from right to left and the tip portion of each arm I has an arcuate configuration defining a spoon-shaped section facing left to provide a smooth contact with each individual egg being propelled on the conveyor 2 by the spoon-shaped tip of arm 1. Each of the arms 1 are fixedly supported at predetermined spaced intervals on an elongated frame member 3 that is arranged in a sub stantially parallel manner to the conveyor 2.

Also, two rail members 4 are disposed substantially parallel to the conveyor 2. A frame lever-type member 11 is slidably supported between the parallel rails 4 and includes a downturned tongue portion 5. A large opening 6 extends through the tongue 5 and a stamper member 7 having the appropriate indicia thereon is mounted within the opening 6. The stamper member 7 is mounted in a resilient manner by virtue of a spring 8 that solely supports the stamper member 7 in its encircling and supporting coils. The spring-pressed stamper is resiliently supported on a slotted frame member 10 attached by a rod-wing nut arrangement to a frame lever-like member 10.

The eggs are initially placed on a receiving conveyor.

A, then-transferred by a chute or inclined trough to a washing machine-type conveyor, and discharged on a pair of parallel rails 9, 9 to the egg stamping area, that is, to the tongue member 5 having the stamper member 7 inserted in the tongue opening 6.

In order to more fully understand the inventive concept, the following is described:

The operation is started by manually inserting eggs on receiving conveyor A, the eggs roll down the inclined chute to the intermittently moving conveyor B where the eggs are washed and also distributed into individual egg holding areas by the upstanding partition members that are spaced at predetermined intervals on washing conveyor B. Subsequently the eggs a are individually and intermittently discharged down a pair of parallel arranged rails 9 that are slightly inclined downwardly to permit the eggs to roll to the egg stamping area. The resiliently mounted and spring-pressed stamper member 7 automatically places an indicia on each egg as it moves through the egg stamping area. Simultaneously, the spoon-shaped tip of the respective arm intermittently moves upwardly into the egg stamping area to make a smooth contact with the surface of the stamped egg and thus, propels the egg upwardly along the horizontally-oriented frame member 11 towards a exit and packing area. Accordingly, the device of the present invention stamps an indicia on eggs which indicia may consist of the date of shipment, name and address of the shipper and the like to form a basis for judging the freshness of the eggs.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs with an indicia to form a basis for judgual basis to said egg stamping area; an elongated frame member positioned longitudinally and in a substantial parallel manner adjacent to said conveyor means; a plurality of arm members fixedly supported at spaced intervals on said elongated frame member, each of said arm members arranged substantially at a right angle to said elongated member and having base and tip portions. the base portion being slidably associated with said conveyor means and the tip portion having an arcuate configuration to define a spoon-shaped section, said spoon-shaped section operatively propelling an individual egg from said egg stamping area; two rail members disposed substantially parallel to said conveyor means;

a lever member slidably supported between said two rail members and including a downturned tongue portion, said downturned tongue portion terminating in said egg stamping area and having an opening therethrough; and a spring pressed stamper member resiliently mounted within said opening and operatively stamping individual eggs intermittently being transferred to said stamping area by said intermittently feeding means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is an endless chain conveyor.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermittently feeding means includes additional conveyor means and a pair of transfer rail means bridging the transfer of eggs from said additional conveyor means to said first-mentioned conveyor means. 

1. A device for automatically and continuously stamping eggs with an indicia to form a basis for judging the freshness of the eggs comprising in combination: an intermittently moving conveyor means longitudinally extending in the horizontal plane whereby the vicinity of one end of said longitudinally extending conveyor means constitutes an egg stamping area; means for intermittently feeding eggs on an individual basis to said egg stamping area; an elongated frame member positioned longitudinally and in a substantial parallel manner adjacent to said conveyor means; a plurality of arm members fixedly supported at spaced intervals on said elongated frame member, each of said arm members arranged substantially at a right angle to said elongated member and having base and tip portions, the base portion being slidably associated with said conveyor means and the tip portion having an arcuate configuration to define a spoon-shaped section, said spoonshaped section operatively propelling an individual egg from said egg stamping area; two rail members disposed substantially parallel to said conveyor means; a lever member slidably supported between said two rail members and including a downturned tongue portion, said downturned tongue portion terminating in said egg stamping area and having an opening therethrough; and a spring pressed stamper member resiliently mounted within said opening and operatively stamping individual eggs intermittently being transferred to said stamping area by said intermittently feeding means.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is an endless chain conveyor.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermittently feeding means includes additional conveyor means and a pair of transfer rail means bridging the transfer of eggs from said additional conveyor means to said first-mentioned conveyor means. 